Serving parents who are just receiving their child's diagnosis can be tricky. The start of this journey is often rocky, making these parents especially difficult to connect with. The ways that parents find their local organizations, the resources that are most helpful, and preferred ways to connect with local support change quickly. A global pandemic hasn't helped any of these challenges.

Join us to learn more about the trends we see across our almost 17,000 members, many of whom are the newest parents to join our Down syndrome community. We'll discuss how and when parents are finding their local organizations, what they consider the most valuable resources they've received, and how to connect with more families more quickly.

DSDN is the largest national organization supporting new and expectant parents with a Down syndrome diagnosis. The mission of the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network is to connect, support, and provide accurate information to parents - and the medical professionals who serve them - from the time of diagnosis through age 3, while fostering the opportunity for lifelong connections. Our vision is that every Down syndrome diagnosis will be delivered in an unbiased, factual, and supportive way every time, and that families can quickly find meaningful connections.

Presented by: Christy Cooper is the Family Support Director for Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network. She joined the DSDN staff in January 2021, after nearly two years of volunteering with the online support team. She previously worked in Human Resources at Syneos Health and Microsoft with a special focus on data-driven decision making, process improvement, and manager coaching. Christy sits on the First Call Committee of her local Down syndrome organization, North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance, and is a program leader for young children at Gigi's Playhouse Raleigh. She and her husband Matt have two kids, a seven-year-old daughter named Tierney and a four-year-old son named Kellan, who's rockin' an extra chromosome.

Download as iCal file